LIVE STOCK AND THE FARM

Southland Times, Issue 22215, 6 January 1934, Page 11

LIVE STOCK AND THE FARM

(Conducted by

W. S. Allan,

B. Agr. Sc.)

1934 SHOW DATES January 13—Waitati. January 20—Waikouaiti. January 26—Palmerston and Waihemo. February 8, 9 and 10—Royal, at Auckland. April 2—Fairlie. April 12—Temuka and Geraldine, at Winchester. 1934 WOOL SEASON The following dates have been arranged for the 1934 wool-selling season:— Napier January 6 Wellington January 11 Auckland January 15 Wanganui January 19 Christchurch January 26 Invercargill January 31 Dunedin February 5 Timaru February 9 Wellington February 15 Napier February 20 Wanganui February 23 Christchurch March 2 Dunedin March 7 Invercargill March 9 Wellington March 19 Napier March' 23 Auckland March 27 Christchurch April 6 Dunedin . April 10 Wanganui April 17 Napier April 20 Wellington April 24 The April sale dates are tentative only, subject to revision, and will be held only if sufficient wool is available. HIGH PRODUCERS GREAT SOUTHLAND RECORDS. Last month three great records were reported for cows C.O.R. tested in Southland during the past twelve months, namely:— At lbs. milk. lbs. fat. yr. dys. Guineaslea Buttercup 4th 23,033.1 804.89 9 310 Lelbum Isola Posch 21,520.1 799.41 3 364 Lelburn Princess Maudella Pride

16,904.5 786.52 4 339 These three cows were all tested by A. and R. Udy, Menzies Ferry. This month we have a further trio of high producers to report as finishing big records. These are: — At lbs. milk. lbs. fat. yr. dys. Bainfield Sylvia Pauline 2nd ■23,501.0 905.44 9 287 Netherland Pauline Sylvia 18,389.2 675.95 2 98 Gleniffer May Echo Griselda 20,748.1 684.06 2 121

The first two were tested by J. and S. Brash, enthusiastic young breeders, at Waikiwi, while the “Gleniffer” heifer was tested by Tait Bros., whose farm at Greenhills is the most southerly dairy farm in New Zealand. It is a fitting coincidence that Brash Bros.’ two-year-old heifer should be a daughter of their 905 lbs. cow.

Bainfield Sylvia Pauline 2nd (Rosevale King Sylvia—Woodcrest Netherland Pauline) is the third highest cow ever tested in Southland, the two cows ahead of her being Oakwood Daisy Bell, 914 lbs. fat, and Bainfield 27,910 lbs. fat. The “Bainfield” cow showed great promise of beating these records until the 22nd October. For the first 21 days of October she averaged 60.8 lbs. milk with a 4.06 per cent, test, which equals 51.84 lbs. fat, but developed milk fever on the 22nd and her production fell to 3 lbs. a day, and she averaged only 18 lbs. daily and produced only 7.5 lbs. fat for the last ten days of the month. She had not fully recovered when she completed her record on November 5.

Gleniffer May Echo Griselda (Gleniffer King Sylvia Daphne—-Gleniffer Netherland Bell De Koi) and Netherland Pauline Sylvia (Rosevale Echo Sylvia Sir Colantha—Bainfield Sylvia Pauline 2) have the honour of being the highest junior two-year-old Friesian heifers ever tested in Southland. Congratulations to the owners. THE ROYAL SHOW PREPARATIONS AT AUCKLAND. With the time for the Royal Show rapidly approaching, the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association is working hard to finalize arrangements. It is trying to find out the exact quantity of stock which is likely to be exhibited, and facilities for its housing are

being improved. A large general stock exhibit is coming to Auckland from all parts of New Zealand. While all classes shown will be of a high standard, the outstanding sections will probably be the dairy stock generally, the porker and baconer classes, and the fat lambs. The Auckland Kennel Club is anticipating a very large entry of dogs, and is endeavouring to ensure that the dog show shall be a royal show in every sense of the word. The Auckland Poultry Club and the Onehunga Poultry Club are working together to run the poultry section at the forthcoming Royal Show.

BUTTER POSITION RESTRICTIONS TO OPERATE. Following upon the receipt of an intimation from the New Zealand Board expressing approval of the policy, the Australian Dairy Produce Export Control Board announced definitely that, from December 18, 20 per cent, of the total butter graded for export from Australia to Great Britain would be withheld from shipment until further notice.

The New Zealand Board which hasagreed to adopt a similar course, has stated that the 20 per cent, cut will be guaranteed until after the end of next March. It added that it vyill be impossible to adopt regulation on the F. 0.8. and CJ.F. sales before August 1, but that this policy will be brought into operation at that date. Although, on principle, the restriction of trade is generally disapproved, there is a feeling throughout all sections of the butter industry that no other line of action is available to the Control Board than the one decided upon in cooperation with the New Zealand authorities.

The decision of Australia and New Zealand to jointly reduce shipments of butter to Britain by 20 per cent, from December 18, should have a beneficial effect on the British market.

It will be helpful primarily because It will give better regulated and a greater continuity of supplies of butter in the British market. Judging from recent gradings the 20 per cent, fall will mean about 1500 tons a week less will arrive from Australia and New Zealand towards the end of January.

One aspect of the butter position which may disturb the London market is mentioned by W. Weddel and Co. (Aust.) Pty. Ltd., in their weekly circular. It is pointed out that 71,602 tons of butter were held in America early in November, against 29,801 tons on the same date a year ago. That indicates that America might throw some of the extra butter on to the London market. THE NEED FOR PIGS A SOURCE OF REVENUE. An examination of the principal dairying countries of the world shows the intimate relationship which exists between dairying and pig-raising. All dairying countries are producers of pigs, and within such countries pigs are invariably more concentrated on the dairying areas. There are several reasons for this:

(a) Dairy by-products have a definite monetary value. The cow has not finished her job as a producer when the butter or cheese has been made. The by-products remain to be utilized if she is to yield her maximum return. The only value of these by-products lies in their qualities as foodstuffs; they have no cash value, but used as foods for the productions of meat they are capable of yielding an economic return under efficient management.

(b) Pigs have shown themselves to be the most efficient converters of dairy by-products into marketable produce. They are prolific, quick maturing, economical of food per lb live weight gain, and are capable of dealing successfully with such bulky foods as milk and whey.

(c) Some means of disposal of dairy by-products' must be sought. Due to their nature it is inadvisable to run them into drains or streams. The policy of some of cur factories in Southland of tipping this material out on a nearby paddock is not only a shocking economic waste, but it affords a very prolific source of putrefactive bacteria, which cannot help but contaminate the products of the factories concerned. For these reasons it is necessary to utilize the waste material in the feeding of some animal, thereby converting an otherwise waste product into profit. The pig is the most convenient animal for this purpose.

(d) Dairying by-products considerably enhance the value of other foods in pig raising, though in dairying areas, such foods are usually regarded, for economic reasons, as enhancing the value of skim milk and whey.

(e) The use of pigs has an additional advantage through the residual value of the pig manure. Skim milk contains most of the manurial ingredients removed from the land by the cows in their milk. Most of these are available again for fertility improvement, in the form of pig manure. Pigs can play a big part in the maintenance and improvement of many areas in this way. There are many and diverse reasons for our incomplete use of available dairy by-products, the chief of which are as follows:—

1. Failure on the part of farmers to realize the value of milk and whey for the production of marketable pig flesh, with the result that laYge amounts are wasted annually.

2. The ability of farmers in the past to make a financial success of dairying despite the waste of, or little return from, by-products. 3. Failure of farmers to realize the potentialities of an export trade. The reliance upon a limited Home market which for many years has reached saturation point, with no real endeavour to build up an export which offers the only hope of expansion. 4. Regarding pigs as the least inconvenient means of the disposal of otherwise troublesome waste products, rather than as the most efficient means of converting valuable by-products into profit. 5. Lack of organization in the industry, lack of standardization of type, and lack of interest generally on the economics of pig-raising. 6. The seasonal nature of the industry and-the consequent difficulty of carrying autumn litters over the winter with little or no milk supplies and the absence of substitutes at an economic price. 7. The relatively high price of supplementary foodstuffs due to the various factors; grain duties, separation of dairy areas from grain growing areas, etc.

This situation should no longer exist. The stress of the present economic depression makes it essential to consider every available source of reenue on the dairy farm to-day. Pigraising can no longer be regarded as a necessary evil, but must be recognized as an intregal part of the dairy farm management policy.

TWITCH CONTROL CANTERBURY METHODS. Many farmers in Southland experience a difficulty in properly controlling twitch. The following bulletin prepared by Canterbury Agricultural College gives an outline of the control methods adopted there. Crops are commonly reduced on every class of land in Canterbury by the presence of twitches. The loss extends even to pastures, for although the twitches cover the land with grass, it is grass of low production. Twitches increase working costs as well as diminishing production, and so cut into profits from both ends. All efforts to control twitch should as far as possible work in with the ordinary rotation of the farm operations, so that twitch con-, trol and crop production may proceed hand in hand.

Prevention is better than cure. Good management and the maintenance of a high state of fertility in both crop and grass land will prevent twitch infestation. Description of Twitches.

All twitches are characterized by the possession of underground runners, which are hard to kill by ordinary methods of cultivation. These runners are really underground stems, and if they are left undisturbed for several years as in an old pasture, they invariably work to the surface. There are five or six twitches common in various parts of Canterbury. Those species with thick runners and plentiful production of seed are much more difficult to cdntrol than those with thin runners or scanty seed.

Long Twitch, frequently called Old Man Twitch, White Twitch, English Twitch, or Couch, has thick runners, but produces only few seeds. Creeping Fog has thick runners and plentiful seed. Brown Top—both the dry land and the wet land form—has thin runners but plentiful seed. Poa pratensis, sometimes called Black Twitch, has thin runners, but not very much seed. Onion Rooted Twitch sometimes calle Knot grass or Pearl grass, has knots about the size of peas or hazel nuts underneath the ground, and these are dragged about by grubbers and harrows. It grows tall in crops, and especially around hedges, and seeds freely. Finally there is Chew'ings Fescue, which has neither runners nor knots, hut is able, by virtue of its underground tillers, to struggle to the surface again after it is ploughed in at ordinary depths. Conditions Favouring Twitches.

A. On cropping lands the twitches spread most seriously under the follow'ing conditions:— 1. Where* cropping has been excessive, so that the soil fertility has been depleted, the twitches thrive. They do not demand such a high level of fertility as most crops do, so that ■under high fertility conditions the crops beat the twitches, but under low fertility conditions the twitches take possession. 2. Where the cultivation has been bad or incomplete, twitches are encouraged. They are only partially checked lay the cultivation, and so have a start on the crop sown with them, and thus assume control.

3. Where the seeding has been irregular or the drilling bad, the twitches get a start, for open spaces are left for the twitches to re-establish and spread.

4. Where weak seeds have been sown so that ar. open spindly crop results, the twitches then get an opportunity of spreading. B. On grass lands twitches are encouraged:— 1. By imperfect preparation of the seed bed which leaves runners growing in the soil and so gives them a start over the sown grass. 2. By irregular seeding which leaves open spaces for the twitch to grow. 3. By the sowing of temporary strains which as they die out allow the twitches to spread. 4. By sowing unclean seed. 5. By over-grazing and the killing out of the better grasses. In all paddocks, whether sown in rotational crops or in grass, the presence of twitch in fences and on sod banks, is a fertile source of infestation for larger and larger areas of the field.

Weaknesses of Twitches.

While twitches grow vigorously under favourable conditions they have certain vulnerable points, and attack is more likely to be successful if it is directed against these weaknesses. They are: (1) Their runners, when undisturbed, are very close to the surface. Measurements taken this autumn in pastures more than four years old disclosed no living runners at a greater depth than two inches in the cases of Long Twitch, Poa Pratensis, or Brown Top—while in Onion Rooted Twitch all the living knots were actually on the surface, although this may not be true in all classes of soil. (2) The dormant period of most twitches is longer than that of many cultivated plants; their growth during autumn, winter, and early spring is very slow. (3) They are greatly depressed by the dense shade of strong growing crops. Methods of Attack on Heavy or Medium Land.

On heavy or medium land the bare summer fallow is the most commonly employed method of control. The land is ploughed three or four inches and worked up in early summer, continuous cultivation follows, the twitch being worked to the top; harrowed into heaps and burnt or carted off. The method is efficient when thoroughly done, but it is expensive at all times and is usually not carried to completion. Other work such as harvest intervenes, and the twitch is allowed to make headway; or moist weather comes keeping the twitch alive, so that in the end the twitch is sometimes more thoroughly distributed than it was at first. The real objection is, however, the expense of a great number of cultivations that are not directly productive. The experience of the last 20 years at Canterbury Agricultural College has shown that fields badly infested with twitch—chiefly Long Twitch and Brown Top—may be effectively and cheaply cleaned by the four-fold process of (1) allowing the twitch runners to come to the surface; (2) deep ploughing; (3) suitable surface cultivation; (4) smotherlng’ Surface Rooting.—As mentioned before, twitch runners will work to the surface if undisturbed for a sufficient length of time, and thus put themselves into a position to be buried by deep ploughing. The cheapest and best way is to attack the twitch on ground that has been in grass for some years, so that the twitch runners are already on the surface, and thus easily buried. It is obviously useless to try to bury them by ploughing if thqy are already scattered through the soil to a depth of six inches or so. They can, of course, be partially grubbed or harrowed to the surface, but that process cannot be completely efficient, and is always expensive. 2. Deep Ploughing.—On heavy or medium land a furrow seven to eight inches deep where this is possible,

worked in conjunction with a skim coulter, will effectively bury all the runners. While the digger plough with skim coulter attachment was specifically designed for this purpose, the ordinary New Zealand plough and skim coulter serves the purpose quite efficiently. The burying may be done either by one early deep ploughing or by skim ploughing early with a two or three inch furrow, working down the surface, and finally burying the surface tilth with a deep furrow and skim coulter.

3. Suitable Surface Cultivation.— Where the land is first skim ploughed the second ploughing must be deeper than if the twitch is buried from the lea. In either case the after cultivation must be such as not to drag the runners to the surface again, and must be careful and complete so as to allow efficient application of the third step in the process. 4. Smothering.—No matter how carefully the deep-ploughing has been done, some plants of twitch will come up between the furrows, and these plants, further weakened by surface cultivation, may be suppressed almost entirely by smothering. A smothering crop may also be used with any other preliminary treatment to weaken the twitch. Repeated trials at Canterbury Agricultural College during the past 20 years have definately proved that smothering crops can control twitch and finally eradicate it, so long as the smothering crop is properly grown. It must really smother. To attain this end a heavy crop must be secured. The land must be well cultivated, the manuring must be liberal, the crop must reach its full growth early in the spring before the twitch starts into life, the seed and the sowing must be good, and a crop that establishes early must be selected. It is essential to encourage a vigorous growth of the crop to . compete with the twitch. Good farming in ■ itself, then, by producing heavy crops tends to control twitch at the time—while farming on a low level of production tends to encourage it. Selection of Smother. Any crop that provides a dense shade will smother twitch that has been weakened by previous treatment. The ideal crop for the purpose is oats and tares. It covers the ground completely and it has the great advantages of being sown at the end of summer so that it is growing while the twitch is dormant, and has attained an abundant growth before the twitch starts into life in late spring. Autumn sown Italian Rye and Red Clover is quite good. Peas, rape, turnips, or oats on heavy land, are good shades, but they are not so useful as the tares because they are sown at a time when the twitch is vigorous and do not get the same start over the twitch as the autumn sown crops do. At the other end of the scale, are the open growing crops such as wheat, barley, linseed, and under average conditions potatoes, which do not shade the ground. Actual Mode of Attack. Start in a pasture four or more years old, and if possible plough 7 to 8 inches deep in December or early in January. If it is preferred the first ploughing may be 2 or 3 inches deep and the land worked till the end of February or early March and then ploughed deep. In March work the land down to a firm compact tilth, without bringing up the twitch. Late in March or early in April sow oats and tares at the rate of one to one and a quarter bushels of oats, and one and a half bushels of tares. The seeding must be carefully done, as missing coulters and blank spaces defeat the object in view. Cross drilling is sometimes recommended, in order to be quite sure that there are no gaps. Apply with the seed one and a half to two cwt. of super, to promote the most vigorous growth of the tares. Cut the crop for hay in late November or early December, and plough immediately. If the land is clean it may be used for any desired crop, but, if some twitch remains, complete its smother by sowing Italian Rye and Red Clover in February, using 35 pounds of grass seed and 4 to 5 pounds of Clover. When the Italian and Red Clover are past their flush the twitch should be sufficiently controlled for any crop it is desired to grow. Where this rotation is not practicable the deep ploughing may be followed by a thick crop of oats, well manured, and sown at 2J to 3 bushels per acre. Immediately after harvest the stubble should be ploughed, and worked up to kill any runners of twitch remaining on the surface. Green feed oats may then be sown about the end of March and ploughed down in September, followed by peas sown in October—a bag to the acre. If a thick strike is not secured it is wiser to plough the peas down, work the land again and sow Italian "Ry-e and Red Clover in February. Numerous modifications of these rotations may be adopted, but the guiding principle always is to plough the twitch well down and get strong, thick smothering crops to follow. The question of twitch eradication on the light land and foothills will be dealt with in a later bulletin. Summary. Twitches grow to the surface and can be buried by deep ploughing. Twitches have a long dormant period and so can be beaten by rapidly growing crops. Twitches require light and heat and so can be smothered by dense growing crops. On either heavy or medium land twitches can be controlled while crops are still being produced if the twitches are attacked in their weak spots. If the cultivation and manuring are sufficient to grow good crops, then the vigorous top shade and root competition set up will kill the twitch. SHEEP DISEASES WORM TROUBLES. Among the numerous parasites which affect sheep and lambs are those commonly designated “round worms.” These invade the stomach, and are a source of great trouble to the owners of flocks. Where serious infection occurs it is not uncommon for half of the lambs to die, and for the remainder to be so stunted in growth that their market value is greatly reduced. Writing in the latest issue of the Australian Journal of Agriculture, Mr R. N. Johnstone (veterinary officer) explains that the parasites usually are encountered on heavy pastures, and low wet land is generally considered to favor them. At the same time, there are times when sheep on the driest pastures suffer badly. As in all other complaints heavy stocking is an important factor. Indeed (emphasises Mr Johnstone), the trouble cannot occur without a certain measure of overcrowding. In some parts of the country farmers have given much attention to the improvement of their pastures by suitable manuring, only to find that, along with the increased sheep-carrying capacity intestinal parasites have become so numerous as to harm the lambs. While the pasture remained poor, the scattering of the sheep prevented heavy infestation.

Several kinds of worms occur in the sheep’s stomach, the one most frequently seen, because of its greater size, being the “twisted wire worm” (Haemonchus contortus). This worm measures from three quarters to one and a quarter inches in length, and is a little thinner than an ordinary pin. In colour it is a little darker than the stomach wall, and is tinged with red—due to the blood which it has taken from the sheep. The female worm is the larger, and has a twisted barber’s pole appearance,

owing to the fact that the red intestine is twisted around other internal parts, which are white. It is tapered at both ends. The male worm is smaller, and does not present the twisted appearance, but carries a broad membranous portion at one end. If the fourth stomach of an affected sheep be opened soon after death these worms may be seen moving about in large numbers, and many will be found closely attached to the walls of the stomach. Injury to the sheep is caused by the actual loss of the blood, by indigestion resulting from the irritation of the lining of the stomach, and by the absorption of a poison which the worms secrete

Another kind of stomach worm which warrants special mention is the “small stomach worm” (Ostertagia circumcincta). This worm is so small that it is not easily seen when in its natural position in the contents or on the walls of the fourth stomach.

If, however, a small quantity of the stomach contents, or a piece of the stomach wall of an affected sheep be washed in water, these minute worms may be seen like fine pieces of silk in the water, one-quarter to one-half inch in length and of a dull pink colour. This worm lives in the same position as the twisted wire worm, and affects sheep in the same way. A very large group of worms which infest the stomach and small intestines of sheep, and produce a disease known as Trichostrongylosis are named Trichostrongylidae. They are small, hair-like worms, and with one exception are similar in appearance, or even smaller than the “small stomach worm.” The first symptoms of worms infestation are general unthriftiness, a dry appearance of the fleece, and loss of condition. In the later stages diarrhoea appears, the animal becomes very thin and bloodless, the membrane on the inner side of the lips and eyelids whitens, and a watery swelling may appear under the jaws. If these symptoms appear, and nothing be done by way of treatment or removal of the sheep from the source of continual reinfection, many of them will die. In severe outbreaks, when the worms are exceptionally numerous, some lambs may die suddenly without previously showing the symptoms just described. A short account of the life history of these parasitic worms will greatly assist the direction of intelligent effort toward suitable measures of control. In their situation in the intestine the female worms lay large numbers of eggs, which reach the ground with the droppings. Under favourable conditions of moisture and temperature on the ground, a minute larval worm develops in the egg, which may hatch within 24 hours from the time it reaches the ground. The young worm now passes through two stages or moults. It must complete these stages and reach the third or “infective larval stage” on the ground before it is capable of growing to maturity when swallowed. The time taken by the larval worms in passing through the first and second stages to reach the infective stage may vary between three days and several weeks, depending on conditions of temperature and moisture; cold or dryness delays their development. Although in this country development may be delayed by excessive dryness, the temperature is rarely below that best suited to the larvae, and particularly in the spring months they may reach the infective stage in less than ten days. This period is of some importance for control measures. The “infective larva” retains the skin shed at the second moult as a loose sheath, which acts as a protective covering and renders the larva very resistant to extremes of cold, dryness, or to the chemical action of such substances as lime or salt. Another and most unfortunate attribute to this infective larva is its ability to remain alive for a long period in a field. Although the majority die if not eaten by a sheep within 12 months, some few may remain alive even longer. This larva is also able to travel in the moisture of the soil, and after having been buried to a depth of 6in may, under favourable conditions, regain the surface in 'seven days. Thus, although ploughing contaminated fields may succeed in destroying many of the weaker larvae, it cannot be relied on as a means of prevention: The same power of movement is used in climbing on the herbage in the dew or rain on its surface where the larvae lies in wait to be taken in by a grazing sheep. When this happens the protecting sheath is rapidly dissolved and the young worm passes through another larval stage in the fourth stomach, and finally develops into the mature worm. The time which elapses between the swallowing of the infective larvae worm by the sheep and the appearance of eggs in the droppings is three weeks. Thus the minimum time for the complete cycle of development is three weeks and three days, but actually under field conditions it takes much longer. ... . , When outbreaks occur it is important to know which particular kind of worm is responsible, since there is a satisfactory medicinal treatment for the twisted wire worm. The other worms, however, do not respond to any treatment yet known. For this reason, and also because the condition may be confused with other diseases, it is always desirable to call in the assistance of a veterinary surgeon if one is available. For the treatment of sheep infested with the twisted worm, Haemonchus contortus, a drench of copper sulphate (bluestone) when properly administered, has been found to be safe and effective. This treatment has already been outlined in these columns.